Hail to the Queen

I’ve been going to the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky for over 30 years. I visit once or twice a year and join the monks at prayer. They go to prayer a total of nine times throughout the day and night! My favorite has always been Compline, or Night Prayer.

Night Prayer is always concluded with all the lights in the church turned out, except for candles near a beautiful icon of Mary. The concluding hymn is always, “Hail, Holy Queen,” sung in Gregorian chant. If there is anything more lovely, it would have to be Queen Mary herself! Monks have been chanting this prayer for well over 1,000 years. Today on this beautiful feast, we do well to sing of Mary, our beloved Queen and Mother.